G-AMSV Returns to Coventry
An old friend returned to Coventry yesterday when G-AMSV, in her striking Indian Air force livery, landed here for extensive maintenance by our engineers. Sierra Victor was part of the Air Altantique fleet here for many years. She'll...
Baginton Air Pageant
The initial details for the Baginton Air Pageant are up on the website! As we don't have the space for a full-on air show attracting 20,000 or so people, we're aiming for low-key, themed days like this. A couple of thousand people,...
Newquay Pleasure flights
We promised we'd be back to fly in Cornwall, and here we are. We'll be heading south with a Rapide and Chipmunk to spend a week at Newquay from 25th July, with a further visit planned in August. The flights are bookable in the normal...
New Dakota Book
Geoff Jones just told me that his new book on the DC-3, released to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Dak's appearance, is now available. The cover sports a lovely shot of G-ANAF, shot by Simon Westwood before her radome goiter was...
Nimrod Engine Run
We've just confirmed plans by NPT to run all four of the Nimrod's Rolls-Royce Speys on Saturday 9th May. We expect the thunder to start just after lunchtime. Come along and enjoy some audio power - and please dip into your pockets...
Classic Air Force’s Anson was built by A V Roe and Company at Yeadon, West Yorkshire in 1950. WD413 was delivered to the Royal Air Force as one of 252 T21 navigational trainers delivered in the 1950s, initially entering service with No.1 Basic Air Navigation School at RAF Hamble, Hampshire and was later converted to passenger transport configuration and was re-designated C21.
During its time with the RAF, WD413 served with both Bomber Command Communications Flight at RAF Booker, Buckinghamshire and Fighter Command Communications Flight at RAF Bovington, Hertfordshire before being allocated to 23 Maintenance Unit at RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland in March 1965. At RAF Aldergrove the aircraft was issued with the maintenance number 7881M and relegated to use as an instructional airframe. In 1977, it was finally deemed surplus to requirement and in December of that year was purchased by Mr G M Fraser of Castle Donington, Nottinghamshire. The aircraft was registered G-BFIR and the permit to fly was issued on 14 July 1978. The aircraft then spent the next eleven years as a regular participant at airshows throughout the UK. Unfortunately, it suffered a ground-loop accident whilst landing at Andrewsfield, Essex in 1980 and was badly damaged.
In order to return the aircraft to the skies again, the owners acquired G-AGWE and G-AHIC, with the latter donating its centre section to the project. After extensive renovation and repair, G-BFIR eventually took to the skies again in 1982 and continued to be seen around the UK before finally settling in Scotland. Its permit to fly expired on 22 March 1988 and it was stored in the open at Strathallan for the next three and a half years. In 1992, it was ferried to Teesside for further storage and then ferried again to Lee-on-Solent on 21 March 1993. In July 1996, it arrived at the Aircraft Restoration Company’s facility at Duxford, where work was carried out to allow the issue of a new Permit to Fly. It was re-painted in a silver RAF scheme and flown to Coventry on 17 February 1998 by Mike Collett, having purchased it. At this time, it was re-registered as G-VROE to Air Atlantique on 3 March 1998.
In February 2012, G-VROE was donated to The Classic Aircraft Trust by Mike Collett. This beautiful aircraft continues to display at air shows around the UK and Europe. It is one of the most popular aircraft in our collection and is loved by all who fly her or work on her. She is a unique piece of aviation history. Classic Air Force retains several other Anson airframes (C19s TX226 and TX235) for spares reclamation and possible future restoration.